Diverging
by anonymous64309
Summary: Takes place 7 years after Divergent. The war was stopped, but everything before it still happened. Charlotte Matthews (daughter of Jenine) chooses Dauntless. Rated T (just in case)
1. Chapter 1

**So I decided to write an AU where the Dauntless don't kill everyone and the war never happens. It takes place 7 years after Divergent, so...yeah. Here goes nothing.**

I'm nervous. There are butterflies in my stomach and my hands are shaking so hard, I'm surprised that no one has noticed yet. But then again, the Erudite aren't exactly known for their attentiveness for the needs of others. That's the Abnegation's job. My eyes shift to the other sixteen year old's. They all look so calm. They probably don't have families that need them to stay. The probably don't have to leave. The Erudite side of my brain objects, arguing that I have no way of knowing what anyone else is thinking. The other side of my brain tells it to shut up. I cringe at the Erudite side. This is why I have to leave. I don't want to turn into a calculating, emotionless robot. I want to burn brightly. I want a choice. Then I hear some unintelligible words that I decipher as my name, and my heart stops. My feet move forward and I don't remember telling them to and all I can think is _choose. _If I leave, I'll be free, but my family will break. But if I stay, _I_ will break; something inside me will shatter. I take the knife and slide the blade across my palm, and my I barely register the pain. I glance over at my little brother, Henry, his eyes urging me to hurry up and pick Erudite, and my parents, sitting as far away from each other as physically possible, both look at me expectantly. If I leave, they will loose the only thing that still binds them together. For as long as I can remember, I have been the only thing keeping my family intact. My parents barely speak, and my brother didn't understand what was happening, but I did. It took me a while to realize that they hadn't just drifted apart, they had never been together in the first place. _If I leave, they will break loose, and Henry will be left alone. _But I cant. I'm selfish. After what seems like lifetimes, but can't have been more then a few seconds, I extend my hand and I can hear my blood sizzle as it hits the coals. I am free. I am Dauntless.

I avoid eye contact with anyone in my faction. I know that if I see Henry's face I will break, and now is the time to be strong. I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts, I only realize the Choosing Ceremony is over when the Dauntless start to run. I'm tall for my age, but even I can't see past the moving mass of bodies. Then we hit the stairs and I don't care where were going anymore, as long as its away from here. _I did it. I'm finally free._ When we reach the train, I am ready. I've seen the Dauntless do this before, and I've studied their movements. I can do this. When the train gets close, I jog beside it, then, timing myself with the speed of the train, I grab the handle and throw myself inside. It wasn't graceful, but I did it. There will be time for practice later. I'm brought back to the harsh truth of initiation when I hear the sob of a small girl. She was to late and missed her chance. I watch as the train speeds up and leaves her behind. I'm not finished yet. I sit down and lean against the wall of the train compartment. It will take us no less then 45 minutes to reach the Dauntless compound. I have time to think.


	2. Chapter 2

As it turns out, thinking isn't the best idea. All I can picture is my mothers face, the rage that would have been boiling under her mask. I know she will seek revenge. Even if I am her daughter, betrayal is betrayal, and it is not to be overlooked for trivial things such as family. To her, the word family means next to nothing. It is common knowledge that the only _real _reason that she married my father was to protect herself in the event that her plans were released. When they were released, she was only put under house arrest, but a few walls and a bit of plaster can hardly contain Jeanine Matthews when she has her black heart set on something. I'm shaken out of my thoughts when the train begins to slow slightly. I already know whats coming. I have to jump onto a roof. As I mentally prepare myself, I can feel the eyes of the other initiates trained on me. I'm already accustomed to the feeling. It was bad already before my mother became a criminal. Everyone expected me to do great things. The only difference now is that everyone is expecting me to be a vicious killer. _I _will _prove them wrong_. Tats why I jump first. I land ungracefully onto the roof, and I can hear dull thuds as the other initiates land in much the same way. I stand and see one of the Dauntless leaders, Uriah, waiting for us by the edge of the roof. He replaced Eric, one of old leaders who was in league with my mother. All of the other Dauntless leaders had been replaced with new ones when my mother had been exposed.

"Alright pansycakes," Uriah calls. "This next part of initiation is pretty straight forward. Your going to jump off this roof. Any questions? No? Good." he says it all too quickly for anyone to actually _ask_ any questions, but that's Dauntless I suppose. I have to prove myself to everyone else, so I step to the edge of the roof and stare down into the dark pit. _This is just a test,_ I think to myself._ You won't _actually_ die. _I close my eyes and jump before I can change my mind. For a few seconds there is only the exhilarating and terrifying feeling of free falling. Then I hit the net. I grab the first extended hand I see and pull myself shakily onto solid ground. Standing in front of me is a small girl with blond hair and dull blue eyes. I recognize her immediately. My mother never stopped cursing her, and she made sure my brother and I knew everything about her. _Know thine enemy_, or something like that. Beatrice "Tris" Prior. I see the spark of recognition in her eyes, and she instantly turns cold as stone. I look to much like my mother.

"Name?" she asks harshly.

"Charlie," I say as evenly as I can. Tris turns.

"First jumper- Charlie," she calls. I can hear the cheers of the other Dauntless, but I know that as soon as they see me, they'll change their minds. I know I will never be fully accepted here.

**I might not be able to update for a while, because there are problems w/ my computer so it needs to be sent in. I might be able to update before I send it in, but after i do, it may be a week or two before I update again. really sorry.**


End file.
